District Assembly Elections experience low turn out in Zabzugu

Zabzugu, Dec. 16, GNA- The district assembly and unit committee elections have experienced a low turn out in Zabzugu as most voters showed less interest in the elections.

The enthusiasm that always characterised the district assembly elections was not on display by the people of Zabzugu.

Some voters interviewed said the assembly elections, in their view was not as serious as the presidential elections, whilst others were of the opinion that assembly members have not been able to contribute positively to the development of their communities, hence, the apathy towards the elections.

As a result, voters were seen sitting in front of their houses, others in their summer huts and their workplaces showing no interest in the elections.

For instance, at the local council A and B polling stations, 107 out of 557 registered voters cast their votes as at 011 hours whilst at local council 1B polling station, out of 819 registered voters, only 147 voters cast their votes within the same time.

At Zabzugu local authority primary A polling station, 162 voters out of 797 registered voters exercised their franchise as at 011.30 am. At the Nayili Fong polling station, 36 out of the 432 registered voters cast their votes at that the same time.

Some of the presiding officers interviewed attributed the low turn-out to the harvesting period in the area. According to them, some farmers have gone to their farm and hoped to return in the late afternoon to cast their votes.

Some of the voters had also left to the other communities outside the district for funeral meetings whilst others attributed the low turn-out to the poor information dissemination and the general apathy on the part of the people towards the elections.

Mr Ben Akumanue, district electoral officer, when contacted, said 43,320 registered voters were expected to cast their votes in the 88 polling stations to elect 30 assembly members to the Zabzugu assembly. He said 76 candidates, including a woman were contesting the 30 seats.

Asked whether he was aware of the low turn-out, he said it was too early to comment on it since voting was skills in progress adding, "It will be verified after we have compiled the results of the elections.